Tag: Disability

We’re Recruiting! Executive Director and Co-CEO

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Following an organisational development review, FRONTLINEdance is delighted to announce the expansion of its team. This includes the creation of a new senior post of Executive Director and Co-CEO, where we are seeking a considerate, adaptable, conscientious, and confident leader with a passion for driving change and making a positive impact. This position will be pivotal in providing future stability and support while developing exciting 25th Anniversary plans (21st November 2026).

We are seeking an experienced Executive Director and Co-CEO to co-lead our team. This individual should be committed, enthusiastic, an effective manager of people and systems, and able to ensure the smooth and successful operation of our company, both day-to-day and strategically. They should also be able to foster a vibrant and collaborative community through the richness of dance and the arts. In this role, you will drive our vision forward while ensuring operational excellence and engaging with our dedicated stakeholders and the broader community. 

As our Executive Director and Co-CEO, you will be at the forefront of planning and implementing programs that inspire creativity and promote disability arts. You will have the unique opportunity to shape strategic initiatives, build strong relationships with stakeholders, and advocate for inclusive arts in our community.

This is an opportunity to take charge alongside our Artistic Director and CEO and make a lasting impact while embracing a friendly and collaborative work environment.

We celebrate diversity and inclusiveness and are committed to providing our employees with the tools they need to succeed. If you are a strategic thinker with excellent communication skills and a proven track record in leadership, we invite you to apply and help us shape the future of FRONTLINEdance together!

This leadership post is one of a few new PAYE and freelance posts FRONTLINEdance is advertising.

We believe that now is a great time to join us! 

For more information and how to apply. Please select from the formats below.

PDF-Executive-Director-and-Co-CEO-MAY-2025-1Download

The Explorers in Training!

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The Explorers in Training! is an inclusive interactive live performance in which our performers, the explorers, embark on a wondrous adventure with the audience. Combining dance, storytelling and music, the show brings to life two books and invites audiences to move, explore, imagine and actively engage with the performers along the way. Described as ‘a beautiful, sensitive experience’ and ‘wonderfully in tune with all the children’, audiences can expect to be involved, engaged, included and have lots of fun!

The Explores! performance was initially co-created with disabled children and hospital patients. The current show, The Explorers in Training! was re-created with our emerging dancers on our bespoke Advance Training Programme, so it is rooted in accessibility and inclusivity. It includes:

  • British Sign Language /  Makaton weaved interpretation
  • Audio Description Script and Headsets
  • A relaxed performance
  • Touch tours and a meet-and-greet (available in advance where useful)
  • An easy read visual story

The Explorers in Training!  is designed to:

  • Support children, families and school groups to engage in a fun, inclusive performance experience  
  • Create a fully relaxed and welcoming live performance environment for audiences - inclusive for those where a traditional show wouldn’t meet their needs or be accessible to them
  • Offer opportunities for audiences to make sounds, move and dance during both the participatory section and in a way that is right for them throughout
  • Provide the freedom for the audience members to be their authentic selves
  • Adapt and change to the audiences receiving it

The disabled and neurodivergent cast is made up of a professional dancer and two trainee dancers, one of which is a wheelchair user. Access performers and creative enablers support the audience to ensure everyone can join in with ease and have a fantastic time with us!

It is especially well suited to libraries, galleries, museums, outdoor spaces, and community settings. We adapt and change! With adequate notice, the performance can also be adapted to complement a theme, festival, book suggestions of your choice, and we can make it more age appropriate for an older group, for example.

Your venue needs to be accessible for wheelchair users for us to visit.

‘The Explorers in Training’ is AVAILABLE TO TOUR Now!

TOUR PACK / EASY READ VISUAL STORY

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Breakthrou’ dancer interviews FRONTLINEdance Company Manager

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Grace caught up with her sister Esther on webcam to ask about her time in her role so far…

Where do you live?

I grew up in Barlaston and Tittensor, but I’ve lived and worked in Manchester since 2010.

During your career, have you always been involved in creative arts?

Since going to Newcastle Art College, I have always wanted to work in the arts sector. I love being creative, but I felt my flair was for organisation rather than arts in practice. I knew that I wanted to work in the cultural or creative industry.  I did lots of volunteering and work in museums and galleries, then in 2015 started at the British Council: a global organisation with a great reputation in arts and culture, where I’ve worked on programmes that fund cultural projects in the Middle East and across Europe. Even when my income wasn’t coming from an arts sector job, I’ve maintained a connection to the arts community by being involved in the running of SHE Choir Manchester, which I love to sing in and project manage for, and I’ve volunteered in theatre productions for HOME and The Royal Exchange. I’ve always needed some sort of cultural activity to be part of my work and social life, and I love music, film and theatre.

Did you enjoy your education and University life?

Yes, going to the local Art college helped me decide to do a degree in Art &Visual Culture: History, Theory & Management at Sheffield Hallam. During my studies I worked as an after-school carer for a child with profound and multiple learning and physical disabilities. I wrote papers on arts in industrial heritage, as I have always been proud of the creativity of The Potteries, and I worked at Spode before I went to Sheffield, which has a fascinating industrial and political history too.

What experience do you have within the disability community?

Well Grace, I was 3 when you were born – so I think it’s fair to say nearly all my life! Of course, it took me a while to realise that not everyone has a family member who has Down’s Syndrome – I used to ask Mum why I didn’t have ‘special knees’ (rather than ‘special needs’!).

You went to the same primary school as me, and because you were so popular, every knew me as ‘Grace’s sister’.  I was there at your speech therapy, playgroups, playdays at Our Space. When you went to Walton Hall Special School and then Derwent College, I got to meet your friends – I really appreciate the connection I’ve had through you to the disability community. I wish everyone in the world could have the same experience and that people who are disabled were more visible in every part of everyday life.

What have been the highlights of your time with FRONTLINEdance so far?

I have learned a lot, been attached  to my laptop mostly, but the highlights have definitely been any time that I’ve been able to see FRONTLINEdancers in action – at the Residency week when Dave and Dan came in, with Rhiannon in the office, talking about the Friends of events plan with Matt, taking part in Breakthrou Dance and Moving Stories at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, and having fun on the dancefloor at the Halloween party.

Do you prioritise disabled dancers at FRONTLINEdance?

I think that we work towards disabled and non-disabled dancers both being as important as each other, FRONTLINEdance is about integration so we focus on both. We also do work specifically for older age groups and people in hospital.

Do you enjoy your job?

This is easily the most satisfying job I have ever had. To be able to work in management within the arts sector for an organisation that makes a measurable impact on the lives of people who can feel excluded from the arts and society is so important to me, especially people who have disabilities.

Thank you for the interview Esther!

No problem sis 🙂

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